Moving? Is Your Pet Coming Along?

Uh oh, boxes… I’ve seen this before. The first time my master moved me somewhere new but then one day, she dropped me off at a place where others like me sat around confused… and she never came back. When new humans took me to a new home, my master wasn’t there, and now I see boxes again. What’s going to happen to me this time? — concerned pet

While we would never leave our kids behind due to a relocation, there are countless pet-owners across the country who are forced to abandon or rehome their animals because of an unexpected move. In fact, according to the ASPCA, 29 percent of all abandoned dogs and 21 percent of abandoned cats are relinquished simply because of their owner moving, whether due to a career shift, financial hardship, or otherwise.

An unfortunate reality in today’s housing market is that relocating without the family companion has become a devastating decision that thousands of pet owners are faced with every day due to housing regulations and travel, among many other factors. But for many, it is as heartbreaking as if they had to leave a child behind.

Despite being against its usage agreement, Craigslist is filled with horror stories of people threatening to kill animals or toss them into the streets if someone doesn’t step in to the rescue. On the other hand, free ads on social media sites, online classifieds (like Craigslist), and in local papers can attract unfit people who seek to harm the animal for their own gain.

This can include the use of the pet in dog fighting rings as bait, or even to make some easy cash by selling the animals to research labs for experimentation—and it happens much more often than animal-lovers like us would like to believe. Smaller animals such as rodents and kittens aren’t safe either, but can be used instead as live feed, or worse, as target practice.

Even reptiles can often suffer from the effects of being shuffled from one situation of rehoming to another as Britt S., a long time reptile pet-parent, notes. In addition to the challenges of cage and tank transport as well as food acquisition, the dangers are multi-fold:

“…because many have a limited temperature/humidity tolerance, added with being put in a small space for a while and the stress of being in a new situation, [the experience of moving] can kill many species of reptiles.”

With the back-to-school season in full swing, college-aged pet owners in particular are facing drastic and/or frequent location changes that can impact their ability to provide safe housing and transport for their animals, especially if student living or study abroad programs are involved.

So what can a pet owner do when they must relocate and they’re faced with what seems to be an impossible scenario?

When searching for a rental in your new location, it can be beneficial to call the local animal shelter or humane society. Oftentimes they will have a list of “pet-friendly” housing options, or can recommend contacts willing to negotiate in exchange for a larger pet deposit. There are also websites dedicated to helping pet-parents find housing that will accept their furbabies:

Here at KirinGie.Me, we understand that life doesn’t always go in the direction it was intended, and that sometimes our pets need to be rehomed due to unforeseen circumstances. However, that doesn’t mean the animal should end up in a shelter situation or be at risk of a worse faith.

With KirinGie.Me, we provide pet-parents with an easy alternative.

How it Works

It’s fun to brag on your beloved furbabies, so at KirinGie.Me we are setting up a community of devoted pet parents just like you. Here, you’re able to create a customized profile of your furry, feathered, or scaly friend to document all of their adorable quirks and nuances through photos, videos, and journaling in one central location.

It’s FUN and FREE and totally shareable with other pet caring members of the community—because who doesn’t love cat videos?

At the core, KirinGie.Me is a community for pet owners to register their pets, even if you have no intention of ever rehoming them.

However, unlike other social media sites, KirinGie.Me offers one significant difference: if you should ever need to rehome or find a temporary foster family for your pet, you can simply click the “emergency alert” option. This instantly gives your pet visibility throughout your community network and maximizes the reach of your pet’s profile to potential pet owners, allowing those who are interested to view a complete overview so they can determine if your pet is the right fit for their family.

Through KirinGie.Me’s platform, interested non-member parties go through a screening process to initiate the communication through our system to reach out to you safely, without the fear that can come from anonymous posting sites. This not only provides an opportunity for both families to meet, but also lets your pal become acquainted before the transition occurs.

Here at KirinGie.Me, we know that rehoming a beloved pet is the last thing on your mind, but having a plan in place, is much better than the alternative.